


a heavy dream

by perfectlyrose



Series: a young mountain and a strange girl [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 12:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6079284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectlyrose/pseuds/perfectlyrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose reveals how she came to end up at the same uni as John.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a heavy dream

**Author's Note:**

> fourth in the “a young mountain and a strange girl” ficlet series
> 
> again: based on/inspired by the song “Strange Girl” by The Zolas

John let out a content sigh as Rose cuddled into his side, resting her head on his chest. They were curled up in his bed, cuddling after a long week. It had been a month since the fateful shift in their relationship at the house party and the semester was winding down to a close.

He wasn’t sure they were actually dating but he and Rose ended up curled up together more evenings than not, protecting each other from the chill that was stealing across campus.

“I dreamed about you, you know,” Rose said, quiet voice barely breaking the silence in the room.

John kept stroking his fingers through her hair, knowing that she felt more comfortable sharing personal tidbits if she wasn’t looking straight at him.

(He knew without looking that she was biting her bottom lip and he could feel the way her hand was tensely fisted on his chest, fingernails with chipped black polish biting into her own palm.)

“I do make an impact,” he teased.

“Shut up,” she answered, halfheartedly slapping his chest. He considered it a success that she felt less tense next to him than she had before, though.

He dropped a kiss on top of her head and moved his hand to squeeze her shoulder, wordlessly telling her she could continue if she wanted.

“I mean it though. After I left, after that one year of knowing you before, I would dream about you sometimes. It was always something that could have been a memory but wasn’t and I always woke up sad.” She nuzzled further into his chest. “I didn’t want to leave you or that school. You were one of my first real friends.”

John’s brow furrowed as he tried to process all the information she was giving him. Even now that they were whatever it is they were, Rose still mystified him as much as she had years ago and he knew barely any of the secrets that lurked behind her brown eyes.

“You had loads of friends,” he said slowly. “Everyone loved you.”

“Might have talked to a lot of people, yeah,” she started, “but none of them knew me like you did. You listened and just accepted me and that was the first time anyone had done that.”

“Rose...” he started

“No, I mean it,” she said, moving so she could meet his eyes. “You never let me drive you off even when I wasn’t very good company or a good friend. You just sat there next to me and let me be whatever I was that day and no one had _ever_ done that. Everyone wanted me to be who _they_ thought I should be.”

“I never knew what to expect with you,” John said, running a hand over her hair. “You fascinated me, still do. Have I ever told you that you’re a strange girl, Rose?”

She huffed out a small laugh. “Think you might have, yeah.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he assured her.

Rose looked away, settling back onto his chest. “You believe me about the dreams though?”

“Of course.”

“That’s why I came to this uni,” she whispered.

“What?”

“I had a dream. You were telling dream-me that you’d been accepted here and that it was your first choice school.” She paused, letting the words sink in. “The dream felt heavy, different from the other ones I’d had about you. I didn’t wake up sad. I woke up hopeful and put in an application here.”

John squeezed her tighter, held her closer, realizing how close they’d come to never meeting again. “I’m glad you did.”

“Me too.”


End file.
